1.  Name, area of operation and objectives of the Club

The Club operates under the name “Club Barbet Canada” and its area of operation includes all of Canada .  The Club’s mission is to look after the interests of Barbets, to promote the breed, to ameliorate it and to build a network comprising the breeders as a whole and the friends of the Barbet.

The specific objectives are:

a)  To guide and encourage the breeders to follow the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada and the Code of practice of the Canadian Kennel Club for the well-being of the breed;
b)  To promote and encourage amateurs and breeders of the breed to participate in canine events organized for the Canadian Kennel Club;
c) To hold events approved by the Canadian Kennel Club;
d) To encourage and promote quality, to inform and educate, while conforming to the Canadian Kennel Club breed Standard.

2.  Members

a) Year of membership

The membership is based on a one-year period enclosed between October 1st and September 30th of the following year.

b) Category of members

There are two categories of members:

i) Friend members

The friend members have to own a Barbet and/or to take at heart the interest of Barbets and to want to help the breed.

ii) Breeders members

The breeders members have to be owners and/or co-owners of Barbets.  They shall sign and conform to the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada.  Their kennel name must be registered  and valid with the Canadian Kennel Club.  Their membership status of the Canadian Kennel Club must be in order. They shall engage in following the requirements of the Canadian Kennel Club Code of practice. 

c)  Membership request

A request form has to be completed, signed and sent to the Club Barbet Canada either by mail or electronic mail.  The request shall be accompanied with the payment of the amount needed according to the member category choosen.

d)  Approval of the membership request

The approval of the membership request is done by the Administrative Council (AC) of the Club Barbet Canada. The request shall be approved by 2/3 of the AC members .  A request for “breeder member” shall be accompanied by the registration certificate of all Barbets owned or co-owned by the breeder and a signed copy of the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada.

If the request is approved, a welcome letter will be sent with a copy of the Club’s General regulations. 

If a request is rejected, a letter of explanation and the reimbursement of the membership fees will be sent to the requester.

e)  Cancellation of membership

The membership may be cancelled under these circumstances:

The member may terminate his membership by sending a written notice to the Club Barbet Canada.

The cancellation may happen when the membership fees are not paid before December 15 of the current year. A written notice will be sent to the member before the deadline date.

A member may be evicted if it turns out that there is evidence of:

•  a lack of civics,
•  a criminal action,
•  an expulsion from the Canadian Kennel Club,
•  a proved default to comply to the General regulations, 
•  as a breeder in the case of non-compliance to the Code of ethics, under a valid complaint.

f)  Voting right

Each member of the Club Barbet Canada of 18 years of age or more may vote during the meetings to which he is called.

3.  General Assemblies

a) Annual General Assembly

The Annual General Assembly has to take place between September 15 and October 15.  The quorum shall be verified.  An attendance of 5% of the number of members of the Club Barbet Canada is needed for the current year.  The information on the agenda, the date and the place of the General Assembly will be sent to the members at least 30 days before the gathering of the Assembly.

b) Special General Assembly

A Special General Assembly can be called anytime by the Administrative Council.  A written notice shall be sent to all members of the Club Barbet Canada at least 30 days before the gathering of the Assembly.  The notice shall specify the reason, the place and the day of the Assembly.  The quorum shall be 5% of the number of members in order of the Club Barbet Canada for the current year.

c)  Meeting of the Administrative Council

The Administrative Council of the Club Barbet Canada shall plan a minimum of 3 meetings per year.  The first one following the Annual General Assembly shall be held in the following 60 days.  The place, date and time of the meeting will be fixed in consensus with the other members of the committee.  The secretary will liaise with the members by electronic mail or phone. The quorum shall be verified by a participation of a majority of members of the Committee.
   
An important meeting can be held by electronic mail if all members believe that it is essential to hold such a meeting.  The secretary shall keep all electronic mails relating to this meeting in the Club Barbet Canada archives.

4.  Administrative Council

a)  The Administrative Council comprises an Executive Council including a president, a vice-president, a secretary and a treasurer.   These two last roles can be assumed by only one person in the case there is not enough representatives.
To the Executive Council are added directors, a minimum of four, who shall be elected, at the national level.  Any member in order of the Club Barbet Canada can submit his candidacy as director.  The Administrative Council has a maximum of 13 members.

The members of the Executive council shall be residents of Canada and members in order of the Canadian Kennel Club, as required by the rules of the Canadian Kennel Club.

The members of the Administrative Council have to reside in a minimum of four (4) of the six (6) canadian regions recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club and they represent their region at the Council.  These regions are : British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Québec, Atlantic and Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories.

b)  Tasks and responsibilities of the members of the Club’s Executive Council

The president, as far as possible, shall attend all meetings of the AC.  He presides the meeting and acts as moderator if discussions become too intense.  In case of a tie in the votes, the president shall decide.  It is his responsibility to keep himself informed on all issues and to ensure a follow-up on them.

The vice-president assists the president in his responsibilities and shall act as president when needed.

The secretary shall keep up to date all registers and all minutes of meetings.  It is also his task to prepare the documents needed for the meetings and to communicate to the members of the AC all mails sent to the Club Barbet Canada.

The treasurer has the responsibility of managing the finances and producing the financial reports.

The directors have the responsibilities of participating actively to the tasks related to the Club.  The activities may vary from year to year and following the development of the Club.   They shall be involved in ongoing and new projects in order to fulfill the objectives planned by the Club Barbet Canada during the year.   Directors are nominated to represent their Canadian region in the case it is not represented on the Executive council. 

c)  Filling of vacant positions

If a position in the Administrative Council becomes vacant, the Committee can nominate a member to this position.  If it is the president’s position that becomes vacant, the vice-president will take the president’s place and he will be replaced by a member appointed by the Committee.

d) Term of the mandates of the members of executive and directors

The mandate of the executive’s members is of two years starting with the election at the General Assembly.  The mandate of the directors is of one year starting with the election at the General Assembly.

e)  Directors shall reside in the zone they represent.

5.  Finances

a)  Members of the executive who have the right to sign

Given the actual management, only the treasurer can manage the funds of the Club.  However, all receipts and outgoing funds are written and accounted in an Accounting Book.  The president shall be aware of all transactions.  When the financial status will permit, the Club Barbet Canada will ratify the following regulation:

“The president and the treasurer will have the power to sign in an account exclusive to the Club Barbet Canada”.

6.  Operating year, ballot, application for candidacy and elections

a)  Fiscal year

The club’s fiscal year starts on September 1st and ends on August 31 of the following year.

b)  Voting conditions

All members in order of the Club have a right to vote, either for elections, for amendments to the general regulations or for amendments to the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada.  The votes related to these previous points can be done in writing if needed, by regular or electronic mail, or by proxy.  If other subjects need to be voted on, these votes shall be done by a show of hands during an assembly and the majority will win.

c) Holding of elections

The elections are held only at the Annual General Assembly or exceptionally, at a Special General Assembly.  The Administrative Council nominates a president of election.  He presents the candidates who have submitted the candidacy proposal form.  If there is no candidate, there is no need for an election president and the AC proposes members.  The members attending the Annual General Assembly then approve these candidates.  If there is opposition, the AC designates an election president who shall proceeds by secret vote.  He may choose a member to help him in the accounting of the votes.  The directors elected or designated then meet to nominate the president, the vice-president, the secretary and the treasurer.  The executive council shall be presented to the members.  If there are two candidates for a same position, the other directors shall vote by writing.

d)  Process for candidacy proposal

Members who submit their candidacy for the Administrative Council shall fill the candidacy proposal form and send it to the secretary of the Club Barbet Canada, a minimum of one month and 5 days before the day the Annual General Assembly is held.  The secretary shall present these candidates with the sending of the Agenda to the members, one month before the Annual General Assembly is held.

7.  Committees

Regional committees are set up to deliver for the organisation and follow-up of the Club’s activities in their region and to report to the Administrative Council as well as to the members at the Annual General Assembly. These committees stay in place as long as the Club operates.

Specific committees related to diverse projects or events are set up as needed, which will be coordinated by a Club’s director or by a member appointed by the AC. These committees, created according to the need, are dissolved when the project or event has ended.

8.  Discipline

a) Motive for suspension or cancellation of accreditation

Any member who is suspended, excluded or expulsed from the Canadian Kennel Club will be immediately expulsed from the Club Barbet Canada.

Any member who has received a complaint from the Canadian Kennel Club’s discipline committee will be deprived of the Club Barbet Canada’s privileges for a period fixed by the Administrative Council.

Any member who does not respect the General regulations, the Club Barbet Canada’s Code of ethics or who has not paid the required membership fees of the Club Barbet Canada may be suspended with notice.

b) Deposit of complaints against the members and process for complaints

Any member may register a complaint against another member.  The complaint shall be related to the General regulations or the Code of ethics.  A formal complaint shall be sent to the secretary of the Club Barbet Canada with an amount of $20.00, which is not refundable if the accused member is recognized non guilty after meeting with the Administrative Council.

On receipt of the complaint, the secretary shall, in the following 15 days, send a copy to all members of the Administrative Council.  The AC shall decide if the complaint is receivable.  If the answer is yes, he will inform of the defendant and will decide on a meeting date or will propose him to provide a detailed explanation in writing.  If the AC considers necessary to meet with the defendant, he shall appear at a meeting.  The Executive Council shall attend the meeting as well as at least one director.

c) Hearing of complaints

The hearing shall be completed in the 60 days following the complaint.  The appointed AC’s members shall meet with the plaintiff and the defender.  Each member of the dispute may provide his witnesses, his proofs and his explanations.  After analysing and discussions, the AC’s appointed members will decide equitably while taking into consideration rules of justice.  The secretary shall inform each party of the decision in the following 30 days.

d) Process to expulse members

The secretary shall send to all members a report on the status of the complaint, the facts and proofs mentioned during the audience as well as the recommendations of the Council.  Any member may oppose in writing to the Council’s decision in the 30 days following the reception of the report.  There will then be representation at the Annual General Meeting.  A vote by writing on this decision shall be put in place.  2/3 of the votes in favour of the expulsion are needed to ratify the decision of the Administration Council. 

9.  Modifications

a)  Requirements to modify the General regulations and the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada

Any member in order of the Barbet Club, with the signature of two more members in order, may propose one or more modifications to the General regulations or Code of ethics.  The proposal(s) shall be made in writing and sent to the secretary.  This (these) proposal(s) will be read and discussed at a meeting of the Administration Council.  The AC may comment or submit a modification of the proposal(s).

b)  Process to propose modifications to the General regulations or to the Code of ethics of the Club Barbet Canada

At the General Assembly, the proposal(s) is read as well as the comments or modification(s) of the proposal(s) made by the Administrative Council.

A first vote by a show of hands may be done on the proposal(s). If more than 10 members are disagreeing on the proposal(s), the Administration Council shall proceed by written vote. In order to approve the proposal(s), it is necessary to gain 2/3 of the votes of the members in order.

The approved modification(s) shall be sent to the Canadian Kennel Club.  The modified General regulations will take effect when the Canadian Kennel Club will have approved them.

The secretary shall send to all members the modification(s) in the 60 days following the Annual General Assembly.

10.  Dissolution

a) Process to follow for dissolution

The Club Barbet Canada can be dissolved anytime in providing the Canadian Kennel Club with all the necessary actions taken during an Annual General Assembly.  2/3 of the members shall sign and approve all documents to be provided to the Canadian Kennel Club.

b) Disposal of assets in the event of dissolution of the Club

All goods and assets of the Club Barbet Canada shall be given to organizations beneficial to dogs.  No good or asset will be given to members of the Club Barbet Canada.  The Administrative Council will choose the non-profit-making organization.

11.  Rules of order

The processes of all Assemblies are managed according to generally agreed rules of meetings.  The Club has determined specific topics according to its objectives and goals.  The rules of Assemblies follow:

a)  Annual General Assembly

1.   Opening of the Assembly and verification of presences
2.   Verification of quorum
3.   Reading and adoption of the agenda
4.   Reading and adoption of the minutes of the preceding General or Special Assembly.
5.   Words of the Executive Council
       •  President
       •  Vice-president
       •  Secretary
       •  Treasurer
6.   Elections of directors
7.   Current matters
       •  Internet site
       •  Activities
       •  Membership
       •  Others
8.   New matters
9.   Varia
10. Closing of the Assembly

b)  Special General Assembly

1.   Opening of the Assembly and verification of presences
2.   Verification of quorum
3.   Reading and adoption of the goal of the meeting
4.   Discussion related to the goal of the meeting
5.   Summary and statement on the conclusions of the meeting
6.   Closing of the Assembly

c) Assembly of the Administrative Council

1.   Opening of the assembly and verification of presences
2.   Reading and adoption of the agenda
3.   Reading and adoption of the minutes of the last meeting
4.   Mail
5.   Current matters
       •  Bulletin
       •  Salons
       •  Shows
       •  Internet site
       •  Activities
       •  Others
6.   Financial reports
7.   Reports of committees
8.   New matters
9.   Varia
10. Closing of the Assembly